Cash Cab production vehicle hits, kills 61-year-old man

Vancouver
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Vancouver Police Department officials have confirmed that a production vehicle used in the filming of the Canadian version of the Cash Cab series was involved in a one-car accident that claimed the life of a pedestrian.

According to a statement released by the police department a 61-year-old man was fatally injured in a collision that occurred just before midnight on Friday, July 15th. The pedestrian was rushed to a nearby hospital where he died, in spite of the heroic efforts of the medical team.

The Vancouver Police Department said they "initially believed that a taxi was the vehicle involved in the incident but subsequent investigation revealed that it was a production vehicle for the movie and television industry made out to resemble a working taxi." News reports continue to claim, erroneously, that the replica taxi driven by the Cash Cab host was involved in the accident.

The driver of the production vehicle owned by Castlewood Productions, Inc., is cooperating with the police investigation of the accident. No charges have been filed against the driver at this time. The investigation is being conducted by the Collision Investigation Unit of the Vancouver Police Department.

Andrew Burnstein, President of Castlewood Productions Inc., has confirmed ownership of the vehicle and said in a written statement that the vehicle was driven by a member of the technical crew. The crew member was returning the vehicle to the storage facility where Castlewood parks the vehicles used in the Discovery Channel Canada television series.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the victim and his friends and his family. My heart also goes out to the driver of the vehicle, a member of our technical staff, who is shaken and devastated by this tragic accident, as is our entire team,” said Burnstein.

The production team had been filming new episodes of the game show in Vancouver last week. Cash Cab uses a replica taxi cab to pickup unsuspecting fares who are then quizzed by the driver, comedian Adam Growe, over the duration of their ride. If the contestants are able to answer the questions correctly without receiving three strikes before they arrive at their destination they win a cash prize from the Cash Cab.

The Canadian version of the Cash Cab first aired in 2008 and was filmed in Toronto for two years. Castlewood Productions says the Canadian version differs from the Discovery Channel's New York City and Chicago version in its "heavier focus on questions of science, technology, nature and adventure, as opposed to purely general knowledge."

Vancouver Police officials are asking for anyone with information on the accident that claimed the life of the Vancouver man to please contact the VPD Collision Investigation Unit at 604-717-3012.